


i like it in the city (when two worlds collide)

by only_because3



Series: Nursery AU [1]
Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, Single Parent Clarke
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-30
Updated: 2016-09-30
Packaged: 2018-08-18 18:41:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8171884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/only_because3/pseuds/only_because3
Summary: There’s a knock on the door jam and Lexa looks up from Aden to find a tired, blonde woman standing there. She’s not wearing a lab coat and her attire isn’t exactly office professional, but it’s late, or early really Lexa supposes, and the woman carries herself with an authority that Lexa finds impressive at this hour. “Doctor,” Lexa asks even though she knows there’s no one else this woman could be.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Hey all! So, Lexa's job here is based of a place I actually work. I've taken some liberties, of course, added the things like having an on call doctor and having wet nursing that would just make my job pretty stellar. That being said, I have tried to keep everything as realistic as possible. 
> 
> Thanks to the wifey for proofing this for me, and for Nic to constantly encouraging it.
> 
> Also, this will most definitely be part of a series. I love the little verse I created here and I want to see where these too go. I hope you guys do too. Enjoy!

Lexa eyes the garden as she walks past it briskly on her way up to the house. She’s early by about 15 minutes though she loathes graveyard shifts. She just happens to like Anya enough that if she can get the other woman out a little earlier, she will.

Anya already has all the binders and medication spread out on the island in the kitchen, the unofficial central hub for the crisis nursery. “Have they been sleeping well,” Lexa asks as she turns her attention to the board on the wall. She scans the names, most familiar to her now, but there are a pair of siblings she doesn’t recognize.

“Everyone but your best friend,” Anya answers dryly. Lexa’s eyebrows bunch together, confused. Aden is an easy baby and the fact that he’s suddenly not sleeping through the night at eight months causes her to pause.

“Sleep regression?” Anya shakes her head, sliding an illness log to Lexa.

Low grade temperature for the day with a spike to 99.9 degrees around 7. Anya’s been checking his fever every hour since and it looks like the poor baby has been toeing the line of an official fever since then. His cough and congestion are noted on the form too but Lexa is less concerned with those. He’d had those symptoms since his mother dropped him off at the beginning of the week.

Lexa scratches at the back of her head with a heavy sigh. “Mom’s unavailable… 30 day rehab program, right?”

Nodding, Anya adds, “And his emergency contact hasn’t answered their phone all night.” Lexa doesn’t need to be looking at Anya to know she’s rolled her eyes.

“Well, guess we’ll just have to see him through the night.” Lexa pulls Aden’s file from the cabinet beneath the island, putting it under his illness report. She doesn’t doubt that she’ll be needing to go through it tonight. “Okay, let’s go through everything else so you can get out of here.”

\--

Graveyard is the worst for a few reasons. 1) Lexa took this job to actually work with the kids. It’s why she’s a usual 7-3 on weekdays. She loves playing with them, caring for them, giving them the support they need from an adult when their guardians simply can’t. Graveyard, understandably, does not have much interaction with the kids since they’re typically asleep. This leaves graveyard with duties that include cleaning the house and prepping food for the next day. Lexa does not enjoy doing either of those things. 2) Her sleep cycle is ruined for at least two days since she has to be awake and alert from 11 pm to 7 am. 3) There is a skunk that keeps frequenting the garden by the parking lot and the last time she covered Raven’s graveyard shift, Lexa almost got sprayed.

Even though Lexa loathes graveyard, she wishes tonight would run like a normal graveyard shift. Not even five minutes after Anya leaves, Aden starts crying. “Go on, I can handle all our stuff tonight,” Ryder tells her from his spot at the stove. “He likes you more than me anyway.”

Lexa gives him a gentle smile before heading down the hall to A room where Aden’s been quarantined. Since learning how to pull himself up, Aden usually greets Lexa standing up, tiny fists clutching the railing of the crib. Tonight, she finds him curled up on his side, crying so hard his body shakes. Anya’s already stripped him down to a thin onesie and though he should be cool, his skin is hot to the touch. “Hey, buddy,” Lexa murmurs as she scoops him into her arms. His cries quiet down once he’s secure in her arms and he blinks up at her, looking every bit as miserable as Lexa knows he feels. His face scrunches as he nuzzles into her, pathetic whines muffled by her shirt.

It’s the first time since she'd met Aden that he hasn’t greeted her with a smile. “C’mon, baby, let’s try and cool you down.”

\--

His mother had them living in a car when Lexa first met them. At the time, Aden had been the youngest intake Lexa had personally done, the boy just one day shy of a month old. Lexa had been glad that they had the space to take him in since his mother’s car had been where the two lived ever since they were discharged after his birth and Aden was so dirty, she was surprised his cord hadn’t gotten infected. Though Lexa has loved being able to watch the little boy grow up over the past seven months, she wishes it weren’t the case. It’d be better for Aden in the long run if his mother could just, _get her shit together_ , and raise her sweet son.

Lexa settles into the glider by Aden’s crib, cradling the baby in her arms. She has a cool wash cloth resting on the back of his head and neck and she runs another over his legs and feet. He’s fussy, as she expects from a baby fighting a fever, and all Lexa can think to do is frown. “I know,” she whispers, bouncing him lightly. “I’m sorry I can’t do more.”

She’s not sure how long she spends moving him through different positions. He wants to snuggle, to be comforted, but Lexa knows that he’ll do better without having her body heat warming him too. She’s just about ready to give him a wash when Ryder appears in the doorway. “It’s been an hour already?”

He nods and they meet at the changing table where Lexa softly lays Aden down. He squirms but Ryder sets a firm hand on the baby’s chest, fooling him just a little into thinking Lexa’s still holding him.

She anticipates Aden’s temperature to have at least fallen back to 99 degrees. She does not expect the 102.5 that blinks back at her.

She groans while Ryder cringes next to her. “Call his emergency contact to see if we can give him ibuprofen. If you don’t reach her, get ahold of our on call doctor,” Lexa instructs as she rediapers the sick boy crying at her. Ryder gets as far as the doorway before Lexa shakes her head. “Call the doctor first. His temp jumped way too much too fast.”

“Aye, aye, Commander.”

\--

Lexa tries her best to stay calm. Children can easily sense how adults feel, babies especially, and she knows that if she is relaxed, Aden will relax at least a little.

Lexa, however, is fuming.

Aden’s emergency contact is _useless_ , still not answering their phone, and Lexa triple checked to make sure Aden’s mother hadn’t, by some wondrous chance, previously okayed Aden to be administered the basic meds they have in house.

She can do literally nothing for this baby except strip him down to his diaper and hope the cool cloths will do _something_.

There’s a knock on the door jam and Lexa looks up from Aden to find a tired, blonde woman standing there. She’s not wearing a lab coat and her attire isn’t exactly office professional, but it’s late, or early really Lexa supposes, and the woman carries herself with an authority that Lexa finds impressive at this hour. “Doctor,” Lexa asks even though she knows there’s no one else this woman could be.

“Dr. Griffin between the hours of 8 am and 7 pm. When it’s,” she glances down at the watch on her wrist, “3:27 in the morning, Clarke will do just fine.” She gives Lexa a small, lopsided grin. “Or, ‘hey, you.’”

Lexa returns the smile, trying to stamp out her frustration. Someone is here now that can help Aden and that’s what she should be focusing on. “I’m Lexa, and this one here is Aden.” Clarke bends beside her, letting her bag of what Lexa can only assume is filled with medical supplies fall to the ground. The doctor runs a few fingers through the soft wisps of hair on Aden’s head, nodding as Lexa relays the progression of the baby’s symptoms.

“May I,” Clarke asks once Lexa’s done. With a nod of approval, Clarke gently takes Aden in her hands, a frown that mirrors the one Lexa wears carving into the doctor’s features. “He’s so warm…” Lexa expects pediatricians to be good with kids but Clarke sounds so genuinely concerned about Aden, so emotional at the feel of his fevered skin, that relaxes Lexa just a hair. She’s never met Clarke before but her demeanor is enough for Lexa to trust that she’ll take care of Aden. Lexa clears her throat as Clarke stands, moving Aden so that his head and belly rest against Clarke’s forearm. The doctor’s hands feel along his spine, her face one of utter concentration. “Can you draw him a bath? Lukewarm water, not cold. Don’t want to shock him.”

“Of course.” She wants to reach out and touch Aden but Clarke is already walking away from her, over to the changing table. There’s more important things to do anyway, Lexa reasons, than comfort a baby who is already in capable hands.

She crosses the hall to the bathroom and it’s only once she’s in there that she realizes the problem.

Clarke’s turned the light on in the few seconds Lexa’s been out of the room, no doubt to get a better look at Aden. She’s listening to his heart now, and then goes to check his lungs. Clarke makes a noise in the back of her throat and pulls the stethoscope from her ears, tossing it carelessly to the side before grabbing the tool doctors use to check the inner ear. Without taking her eyes off Aden, Clarke asks, “how long has he had the cold?”

Lexa doesn’t even need to look at his file. “He was admitted on Sunday. Mother said he had just started coughing but she’s not the most reliable source.” Clarke moves to look into his right ear and Aden’s little limbs kick and scramble before he releases a wail that pierces Lexa in her chest. She’s by his side in an instant, still leaving Clarke enough space to do her job, but aching to bring Aden close.

“Oh, I know it hurts, sweet thing. I’m so sorry but I had to check,” Clarke coos. She scoops him up a second later, rocking him carefully. “Little guy has a gnarly ear infection.

Lexa’s whole body sags in relief, though she still worries her lip. “At least it isn’t anything worse,” she murmurs. Logically, she knows it could have been a lot worse. But this is Aden, a baby she’s been with practically since birth, and it breaks her heart to know he’s still going to be in a bit of pain.

“I can write him a prescription but until the pharmacy opens, best thing you can do is keep him cool and comfortable.” Aden nuzzles into Clarke’s breast before he very clearly goes rooting and Lexa watches as the blonde beams down at him. “I can give him some ibuprofen as well. With his temp, I’m classifying it as a necessary emergency. Shouldn’t get you into any trouble that way,” Clarke finishes with a wink.

The frown on Lexa’s face curves, turning into some semblance of a smile, the most she can muster right now. “Thank you,” Lexa sighs, putting as much gratitude as she can in those two words. They still have to get through the night but having Clarke here, completely level headed and capable soothes Lexa.

Aden starts rooting around Clarke’s chest more roughly, mouthing at the doctor’s shirt, and a laugh climbs out of Clarke’s parted lips. “How do you know I have something there for you,” she says to the baby before looking up at Lexa. “You guys are lactation qualified, right? Is it alright for me to nurse him?”

Standing a little straighter, Lexa shakes her head. “We are qualified as a nursery but individually they test our blood and milk constantly to make sure it’s healthy to use on the babies.”

Clarke’s eyes widen, not from shock but understanding. “Of course, of course,” she says, a hint of embarrassment coloring her cheeks. She passes Aden to Lexa’s waiting arms, her smile growing when Aden clings to the other woman like a lifeline. “He’s very fond of you.”

At that, Lexa glows. She doesn’t like to play favorites and most of the time, she doesn’t. But Aden is different. “I’ve been with him a long time,” Lexa supplies as she lifts her shirt to expose her right breast.

“It shows.” Lexa turns her direction to Clarke who still wears that steady, bright smile. After a moment, the doctor turns, gathering up the supplies she brought. “Anyway, you should probably feed him before the bath. It’ll help relax him, plus it’s important to keep him hydrated.”

“Oh, right,” Lexa mutters, opening the nursing flap on her bra. “Another one of licensing’s fun rules. We don’t give the babies actual baths.” Clarke’s eyebrows furrow. “We put them in the bath seats in the sink and use the faucet hose to wash them.” Aden latches onto her nipple easily once he’s settled against her body and she only winces a little at the feeling.

Clarke nods and Lexa can see the thinking on the doctor’s face plainly. “It’s better than nothing,” she says under her breath. Louder, “I’ll go wet some fresh cloths while you feed him.” At the mention of him eating, Aden suckles greedily. It produces a harsher wince on Lexa’s part, her fist curling at her side as she lets out a long breath through her nose. Clarke runs a hand along Lexa’s arm, sympathetic, before disappearing across the hall.

Lexa’s about to settle herself in the rocker when an idea hits her.

“What if I sit in the tub with him?” Clarke looks over her shoulder, hands overflowing with wet washcloths. Aden is hot against her and Lexa knows they should’ve given him the medicine before he started feeding. If she tries to pull him away now, he’ll get royally pissed off and it will just warm him up further, wet cloths be damned. She knows this child like he is her own and Lexa knows that a bath or medicine needs to happen now.

She’s surprised that Clarke doesn’t think she’s crazy, doesn’t even question her. In fact, Clarke _grins_ and wordlessly goes to start the tub.

Lexa toes off her shoes, kicks them to the corner, before walking over to the still filling bath. Clarke takes Lexa’s arms into her hands; one holding on to the elbow that cradles Aden to her chest, the other grabbing tight at her forearm and Lexa twists her wrist to hold on to Clarke’s forearm too. Trusting Clarke to support them, Lexa steps over the rim of the tub. She plants her feet and then squats down, Clarke following her every move, gripping tighter when Lexa rocks a little unsteady before plopping on her butt with a small splash of the water.

“Do you even have anything to change into,” Clarke asks. It’s much too late now to ask that. The water is already near Lexa’s waist, her jeans soaked through, her shirt mostly safe only because it’s pushed up to her collarbones.

“Not at all.” Clarke laughs as she hooks a finger in the edge of Aden’s diaper. Satisfied with what she sees, or rather, what she doesn’t, Clarke pulls at the tabs to take it off before it gets waterlogged. Lexa maneuvers Aden the best she can with him still feeding and once Clarke successfully takes the diaper off, Lexa lets Aden’s body sink against her own. His legs, bottom, back, belly all become enveloped in the water and, though his tiny body tenses for a moment, he melts into her quickly.

In that moment, nothing else matters. It doesn’t matter that her jeans feel painted on to her now, completely soaked through. It doesn’t matter that her underwear are bunching uncomfortably under her jeans or that she forgot to take off her socks. Lexa isn’t even the slightest bit worried about how she’s going to get through the next three hours, dripping from the waist down, let alone the drive home. With Aden looking up at her, face finally relaxed and soft against her chest, Lexa knows this crazy decision is completely and totally worth it.

Clarke leans over the lip of the tub, twisting the knobs until the faucet turns off. Lexa looks up from the boy in her arms to find the doctor observing them almost fondly. “Do you need anything,” Clarke asks.

“No, thank you,” Lexa answers, bringing wet fingers to Aden’s head, smoothing his hair down. “Really, you’ve gone above and beyond. We will need you to sign a form before you leave though. Ryder will be able to help you with that.” Clarke nods as she settles down next to Lexa outside of the tub. Lexa looks down at Aden, wishing to convey her confusion to him, but finds his eyes closed. She turns to Clarke. “Aren’t you leaving?”

Clarke rests her back against the wall, legs stretched out and crossed in front of her. “If you’d like me to? But I figured you could use some company,” Clarke returns, voice warm, tired eyes gleaming under the fluorescent lights.

Half of Lexa’s lips curl into a smile, even as her eyebrows knit together and she lets out an astonished huff. “Clarke, it’s…” There’s no clock on the wall, no watch on her wrist, and so Lexa settles on, “an absurd hour of the morning. You should be going home to sleep.”

Clarke shrugs, lifts her chin just a little. “I’m on call until 7 am. Unless I get a call to rescue another munchkin, I’d just be home trying to keep myself awake.” She pauses, lets her head fall to the side and squints a little. “Or forcing myself to converse with my sitter,” Clarke adds, an exaggerated grimace coloring her face.

Lexa hums, amused. “And why would that be so awful? Surely your sitter must be good if you choose to leave your-”

“Son,” Clarke supplies quickly, a smile so large taking up her face that Lexa’s breath almost catches in her throat. “Deson.”

Lexa smiles a little wider. “Your son with them.”

Clarke runs a hand through her hair, eyebrows lifting in acknowledgement of Lexa’s point. “My sitter is very good tonight, but I’d rather not talk to my mother longer than I’d have to.”

“Ah,” is all Lexa can say, not wanting to prod. After all, this is the first time she’s ever met this woman.

“Besides,” Clarke starts, twisting her hair into a bun, pulling an elastic from her wrist to secure it. “I’ve got a spare set of scrubs in my car with your name on them.” Lexa’s eyebrows shoot up and, ready to protest, she starts shaking her head. Before she can get a word in, Clarke puts up a hand. “I will not have you spending the rest of your shift soaked to the bone. It’ll get you sick. And you’ve got to trust me.” Clarke taps two fingers against her chest, just over her heart. “I’m a doctor.” Lexa’s eyes dart to the place Clarke touched and then back at the woman’s face. She must wear her confusion plainly because Clarke looks down then too. “Oh,” Clarke laughs. “Usually I’m wearing my badge when I do that.”

The two laugh a little harder and it echoes in the empty bathroom. If he can hear them, and surely he can, Ryder must think Lexa’s gone crazy.

When they come back to themselves, Clarke checks the watch on her wrist and Lexa finds herself looking down at Aden. He’s starting to suckle more forcefully, his hand coming up once more, pressing down on her breast in an effort to help him get milk faster. “You’re about to switch right?” At Lexa’s nod, Clarke stands. “I’ll grab the ibuprofen. We’ll get it in and then you can just shove your tit back in his mouth before he can spit too much up.” Clarke only takes half a step before she turns. “I’m so sorry I just used the word tit. That was incredibly unprofessional.”

“Clarke, it is at least 4 in the morning. I’m not judging you for your word choice and I certainly do not care,” Lexa assures, forcing a smile even though she’s pulling her breast from Aden’s mouth as she speaks.

A firm nod and a smile working its way to easy is what Clarke leaves her with as she goes to get the medicine.

Lexa bends her legs, rests Aden against her thighs. She lays one hand flat against his belly, another over his forehead. He’s cooler than he’s been all night and he doesn’t look nearly as miserable as he did earlier. He leans himself forward, tiny hands signing for milk, she thinks, or maybe he just wants to cuddle more. “What is it my little duck,” she asks him softly. He starts making noises, half whimpers, half babble, reaching out to her. “When are you going to finally talk to me in something I can understand, hm?” She stretches her legs out again and wraps her arms around him so Aden can lay along her chest. His head burrows in the valley of her neck, one hand resting on her shoulder, the other resting on her breast. He’ll want to nurse again soon, his tiny fist clenching where it is on her chest. But he seems to be in no rush, no doubt too tired to wiggle down to her nipple.

Clarke returns, baby syringe in hand filled with red liquid. “Okay, let’s do this,” she states, dropping onto her knees beside the tub. Lexa drops a kiss to Aden’s head before cradling him, head in the crook of the opposite arm from earlier. She covers her nipple with her hand when Aden tries to latch and then gives a tiny nod, trusting that Clarke is watching. Quickly, the doctor puts the syringe in Aden’s mouth, tilting it to the inside of his cheek as she pushes the plunger down. Aden’s face scrunches and he hacks, no doubt when the cherry flavored medicine hits his tongue. Before he can work on spitting it out, Lexa guides him to her once again exposed nipple, squeezing her breast so that her milk will flow a little faster and blend with the medicine.

He doesn’t push away, thankfully, and when Clarke sits back down after cleaning the syringe in the sink, Lexa has already relaxed in the water that is starting to get too cold for her. “Go us. That was fantastically smooth,” Clarke says when she’s settled.

“Agreed.” Lexa watches as Aden’s eyes close again, long lashes kissing his round cheeks. She has no doubt he’ll be asleep as soon as the medicine kicks in.

“Do you have one of your own?”

Lexa keeps her gaze down, fingers running over Aden’s arm lazily. “No, just the munchkins here,” she answers. Satisfied with how at peace Aden finally looks, she turns her full attention to Clarke. “How old is Deson?”

She sees a lot of parents’ faces when they talk about their kids. She’s seen parents break down in tears because they feel they’re failing their children. She’s seen parents absolutely beam at the sight of them. Still, Lexa feels unprepared at how Clarke’s whole aura changes at the mention of her son. The doctor seems lighter, younger, brighter. She doesn’t even seem tired anymore, though the creases around her blue eyes betray her.

“He’s 11 months,” Clarke answers almost dreamily.

“Not too much older than my boy here then,” Lexa says.

Clarke shakes her head and fumbles in her pocket for a moment. She presses the home button on her phone, showing Lexa the screen when it lights up. Lexa’s eyes immediately go to Deson whose smile is almost as bright as Clarke’s. The little boy looks like he’s laughing at the camera, mouth full of tiny teeth, a few tight curls falling onto his forehead. His chin has the same dimple as Clarke’s, Lexa notices, and when she looks at the picture fully, it’s the fantastically blue eyes of mother and son that stand out against everything else. Clarke’s cheek is resting on her son’s head, her look mirroring the one she wears now. There’s a lot of the boy’s father evident in his features but Lexa is still struck by how much he looks like Clarke, the difference in Clarke’s fair complexion and the boy’s warm brown skin irrelevant.

“He’s gorgeous, Clarke,” Lexa breathes out when the screen goes black.

“I certainly think so, but I’m afraid I might be biased,” Clarke quips. She shoves her phone back in her pocket. “Thank you, sincerely.” Lexa gives an easy smile as she observes Clarke dip her hand into the tub, fingers swishing carelessly and bumping against Lexa’s hip. “Getting a little chilly now. I’ll run and grab some scrubs for you.” Clarke lets her wet fingers walk along Aden’s side. His eyes open sleepily but his mouth curves upwards around Lexa’s nipple. “Such a sweet boy.” Aden looks up at Clarke then, tiny hand leaving Lexa’s breast and grabbing onto Clarke’s hand.

She gives it a little squeeze before pulling away.

With Clarke gone, Aden reaches up, takes some of Lexa’s hair between his fingers. He rolls it back and forth, nearly in time with his suckling, and his eyes close once more. Lexa knows he’ll sleep soon enough, his body already so heavy against her.

Lexa lets her head fall back against the tile, closes her own eyes. She’s tired too and it hits her now that it’s quiet. Aden is comfortable enough that she’s no longer tense, anxious, and Clarke isn’t here to help her along, to keep her going. She imagines Clarke’s little boy then and finds herself frowning. It’s been so nice to have Clarke keeping her company but she feels guilty now, like she’s keeping that adorable little boy’s mother from him. She knows that Deson is probably asleep, and Clarke had mentioned that if she were home, she’d only be talking with her mother. Still, Lexa knows that just being close to little ones matter, makes everyone feel a little more secure.

Lexa cracks an eye open, peers down at Aden. She holds him a little tighter. Had she worked her normal shift this morning, had seen Aden’s symptoms then, she knows that she’d be at home now, tossing and turning with worry.

Someone clears their throat and Lexa straightens, looking up. Clarke is leaning in the doorway, folded scrubs under her arm. “I didn’t want to scare you,” she says. She throws the clothes onto the counter as she passes, coming up to the side of the tub.

Clarke observes Aden momentarily and Lexa confirms her suspicions before they’re even voiced. “He’s just soothing at this point.” Clarke nods. “Shall I pass him to you so I can get out?”

“Sounds perfect to me. Oh!” Clarke goes back to the counter and pulls out a baby towel from the drawer. "This might help, huh?" She lays it across her chest while Lexa carefully extracts herself from Aden. The boy fusses, face scrunching at the loss, but Clarke scoops him quickly. Her hand grazes Lexa’s breast and the sensation jolts the both of them. Lexa is used to boob grazes, has to be with this job. Passing kids back and forth means there’s going to be a brush and kids rarely know boundaries themselves. However, her shirt has always been on correctly when it happens.

Clarke blushes as she brings Aden to her chest, wrapping him in the towel before he can start to shiver. “Sorry,” rushes out of her mouth and she turns on her heel. “I’ll get him dressed while you change.” Before Lexa can say anything, Clarke is halfway to the door, closing it behind her.

\--

Lexa balls up her wet clothes in the sink once she’s tucked herself into the borrowed scrubs. She gives herself a once over in the mirror. She had to double knot the tie at her waist, her hips a bit narrower than Clarke’s, but the top works a little better, loose too, though comfortable. It's odd to see herself in the pale blue scrubs, half makes her feel like she's wearing some sort of costume. Lexa runs her fingers through her hair, working apart the tiny knots that bloomed under Aden’s touch. She thinks of putting her shoes back on but the thought of wearing her tennis shoes without socks make her cringe as much as the memory of having wet socks on.

She flicks off the light when she opens the door, pausing to let her eyes adjust to the darkness. Clarke’s switched off the small lamp in A room and, though Lexa knows it’s completely unnecessary, she walks around the room, swaying Aden back and forth. “You can put him down you know,” Lexa says softly.

Clarke’s face is mostly shadows but Lexa doesn’t fail to see her smile. “I know.” Clarke walks over to her, feet silent on the carpeted floor. “But you look at him how I look at Deson and I figured you’d want to hold him again.”

Lexa doesn’t deny it, had worried her lip as she changed that she’d miss putting Aden down. She opens her arms to take the slumbering boy, notes the way Clarke gives her a wide berth on the hand off. “You know, I usually make someone buy me dinner before I let them under my shirt.” Clarke freezes a little and it just makes Lexa quirk her eyebrow even further up, a laugh catching in her throat. “Sorry, I just thought it’d be weird if we ignored it,” Lexa comments. Without thinking about it, she turns her head, breathing in against Aden’s soft hair. “With you being a doctor, I assumed you’d be more… desensitized?”

Clarke clears her throat, tucks her hands into the pockets of her pants. “Usually I am. Bodies are bodies. Obviously, I didn’t bat an eye at you nursing.” With a breath, “Hell, I almost whipped my own out earlier.” Lexa settles into the rocker she had occupied earlier. Clarke seems to sway towards them but doesn’t take more than a small step or two. “You know, I really pride myself on professionalism a lot of the time. Even when I show up for a house call dressed like, well, this.”

Lexa rolls her eyes. “You are dressed more professionally than I was.” Aden tucks himself further into her neck, tiny fists resting under his body, his butt sticking up slightly. It’s his usual sleep position and Lexa is glad he seems to be comfortable.

“The point is, I’m a really good doctor. I don’t like making people uncomfortable.” Lexa looks at Clarke, nodding slowly as her eyebrows knit together, forehead wrinkling in confusion. “So I’m going to apologize right now for-”

“Clarke, it’s okay, really. My boobs get grazed all the time here. Really, it’s par for the course,” Lexa interrupts. “Granted, my nipple isn’t usually out-”

“Can I take you out to coffee?” The question doesn’t rush out like one might expect, but Lexa can sense the nervousness in the words, can practically feel Clarke vibrating just across the room. Clarke squares her shoulders and swallows. Lexa thinks that if there were more light, she’d be able to see the way Clarke’s throat bobbed. If there were more light, she’d be able to get a better read on the other woman.

“As…” Lexa switches out the arm beneath Aden’s butt, aware suddenly of the ache in her muscles. “As a date?”

Clarke nods then stands straighter. “Yes.” Lexa catches the way Clarke runs her index finger over the thin metal ring around her thumb. Back and forth once, twice, before she stretches out her hand and seemingly forces herself to relax. “If you’re into chicks that is.” Clarke lets out a breath then a laugh that surprises Lexa; it doesn’t sound nervous in the least and perhaps the confidence Clarke has had this entire night is coming back.

“I am,” Lexa admits.

Aden lets out a small cry against her shoulder. Lexa’s chest constricts. He wiggles, whimpers as he brings a hand up to grab at Lexa’s neck. Clarke steps closer while Lexa rubs small circles into his back. Clarke is back to business, pressing two fingers behind his ear to get a feel for his temperature. “Probably just dreaming,” Clarke says, Aden’s temperature low enough that it doesn’t spark worry in the doctor.

He settles easily and Lexa exhales through her nose. “Okay.” Clarke blinks down at her. “Take me out for coffee,” Lexa tells her, lips curving around the words. “But not Starbucks.”

Clarke gives her a firm nod, her own smile filling up her face. Lexa tries not to think about how similar it looks to the one she wears in the photo on her lock screen. Her stomach flip flops anyway. “No Starbucks. Promise.”

\--

Clarke is waiting on the steps out front when Lexa finally comes out after shift change. It took her a little longer than normal, wanting to make sure Indra kept her in the loop today regarding Aden. It's not typical for her to take home work with her but it seems Aden is always the exception to that rule.

Lexa offers Clarke a hand, helps her stand, and they walk side by side towards the parking lot. “You didn't have to wait,” Lexa tells tells her, digging around in her bag for her car keys. “I know you must want to get home. Get some time with Deson before you sleep.”

“Oh, he’ll still be asleep,” Clarke tells her. “Takes after his mother and sleeps until at least 8.” Lexa catches the proud smile Clarke wears just as she finds her car keys.

Lexa clears her throat in an attempt to hide her smile. “Should we move our date to 10, then? Sounds like 9 may be a little early for you,” Lexa teases. She laughs when Clarke bumps into her shoulders.

“I will be bright eyed and bushy tailed for you at 9 am tomorrow.” Clarke stops next to a jeep, her car, Lexa assumes. Clarke looks at her fully and somehow, Lexa didn’t realize earlier just how beautiful this woman was. It’s nice, _better_ , to see Clarke out here in the soft natural light of morning instead of the harsh fluorescents of the bathroom. “I look forward to learning more about you,” Clarke tells her earnestly.

Such simple words, a pure confession. Lexa has to take a deep breath. “Likewise,” Lexa replies. “And don’t feel like you have to find someone for Deson. I’d be happy if he came along on our date.”

Clarke laughs and Lexa catches the way her fingers rub along her thumb ring again. “You’re kind of unbelievable.” Before Lexa can process it, Clarke drops a kiss on her cheek. Clarke’s eyes sparkle when Lexa sees them again. She knows that if anyone were to see them now, they’d look like idiots grinning at each other. “I’ll text you later,” Clarke says, unlocking her car.

Lexa takes a few steps back, nudging herself to walk the last few feet over to her own car. “I’m counting on it.”

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on tumblr @ idontneedtobeforgiven


End file.
